Walking The Path Of Grief

Regardless of our beliefs, and despite death being a natural thing in life, navigating the loss of our loved ones is no easy task. With this piece, I want to walk beside you and acknowledge the pain that grief causes, but also remind you the love in your heart is bigger than the pain. The beautiful music belongs to Aleksey Chistilin and Luis Enrique Guerra Naveda. Let it hold you in a warm embrace, for you are not alone.

Transcript

Everything has an expiration date,

Whether it's on a label or the tissue of an organ,

Contained in a seed even before it sprouts.

One day the sun will swallow the earth,

And even the universe will dissolve.

These thoughts are not meant to frighten,

They are certain,

Comforting in their essence.

All the elements that compose this world will become small and quiet in their final rest.

But not all endings are easy to accept.

We grieve those who vanish,

Their absence heavy in our chest,

The silence they live in their place deafening.

Grief is a strange creature.

When we lose someone,

We can simultaneously hold the pain of their loss,

And the joy of the love we feel for them.

That love is our lifeboat.

An aching heart is a heart full of love,

So much love it can't be contained.

We ache for days on end,

Weeks,

Sometimes years,

Unsure what to do with the love that keeps spilling over,

Until we learn how to pour it on new places.

Over time we learn to soften the pain.

The love,

However,

Is infinite,

As we discover those we lost are to be found wherever we go.

Every corner of this world holds the essence of our lost ones,

Awakening memories and even creating new ones where there is still a place for them.

They would have loved this,

We say.

And they do.

They do through us.

Through us they live on.

In grief we roam this earth,

Clutching our heart so it doesn't fall apart,

Asking ourselves silent questions.

Why did they have to die?

Why isn't everyone angry?

Others' joy becomes intolerable.

They died.

They died and the world keeps spinning,

But our world has stopped in its tracks.

Until we dare open our tender heart once more,

Leaving room for other questions.

Why was I so blessed to have known and loved them?

How come they made the world better and brighter?

We keep them alive with these questions and slowly we come back to life too,

For if their life had so much meaning they must have left this world better than they found it.

We know they left us better than they found us.

How did they change me?

Why is it so important to keep loving life the way I loved them?

If they kissed the world with their presence,

Then the world is a place worth living.

And they are still part of it,

Because they will forever be part of us.

Reviews

Thank you for this beautiful meditation 💔 This is the first year without my mom. She made this world a better place and every day is hard without her by my side.

Peter Alcuri...has this meditation on his Playlist as his favorite and best!...I'm new to Insight Timer...he is now a friend for Meditating together...and I played this....oh my...this touched me so deeply...it was meant for me to hear this...My Mother passed away...and it will be a year September 24th...and I've been reflecting and grieving all year...this brought me such healing and joy...I miss her sooo much!...thank you for your gift...and ministry...truly!
Life has a way of taking care of us....inner healing came!

Blessings to you,
Donald James Dodge

Beautiful and poignant reminder that the losses have meaning for me. Thank you 🙏

Powerful talk. You have truly captured what grief does to us and how it affects us at our very core. Many tears as so much resonated with me. Thank you for also talking about ways to celebrate and honor the spirit of our loved ones who have transitioned as we try to make our way through life accepting this new reality. Truly a "must listen" for anyone experiencing the pain of grief from those we loved dearly who have departed this earth🙏🏽

Beautiful words that are a balm for the grief of my father’s recent passing. His essence lives on in us and the good he weaved into the fabric of life he lived. 🤍

Thank you for these beautiful words and remainders. ❤️❤️❤️

Today is the 6th anniversary of my husband's death. Grief truly is a journey. Your words rang true. I found great comfort in them. I appreciate you mentioning the new memories we create. It's something I wouldn't have thought possible but is. Thank you for the gift of your compassion.❤️

Thank you for these very touching and healing words.

Unbelievably beautiful. I lost my wife nearly 10 months ago. But this reflection reminds me I never really lost her because she lives in my heart. And yes, she made me and the world better for her life.